108 essential Zulu phrases with pronunciation written out for English speakers. Everything below is what a beginner actually needs first: greetings, polite words, numbers, family, food, time and getting around. The stressed syllable is in capitals so you can say it out loud without guessing.
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First words
Say hello the Zulu way
SawubonaHello (to one person)/sa-woo-BO-na/
SanibonaniHello (to many)/sa-nee-bo-NA-nee/
NgiyabongaThank you/ngee-ya-BON-ga/
Hamba kahleGoodbye (go well)/HAM-ba KAH-shleh/
YeboYes/YEH-bo/
ChaNo/chah/
NgicelaPlease/ngee-CHEH-la/
UxoloSorry/oo-KLO-lo/
Meeting people
Names and everyday nouns
Igama lami ngu-AmaraMy name is Amara/ee-GA-ma LA-mee ngoo a-MA-ra/
Unjani?How are you?/oon-JA-nee/
NgikhonaI am fine/ngee-KHO-na/
AmanziWater/a-MAN-zee/
Out and about
Everyday nouns and asking for things
UkudlaFood/oo-KOOD-la/
UmnganeFriend/oom-NGA-neh/
IndluHouse/IND-loo/
ImaketheMarket/ee-ma-KEH-teh/
Malini?How much?/ma-LEE-nee/
Ngifuna amanziI want water/ngee-FOO-na a-MAN-zee/
AngiqondiI don't understand/an-gee-KLON-dee/
NgisizeHelp me/ngee-SEE-zeh/
Counting
Numbers one to ten
KunyeOne/KOO-nyeh/
KubiliTwo/koo-BEE-lee/
KuthathuThree/koo-TA-too/
KuneFour/KOO-neh/
KuhlanuFive/koo-SHLA-noo/
IsithuphaSix/ee-see-TOO-pha/
IshumiTen/ee-SHOO-mee/
Zingaki?How many?/zeen-GA-kee/
Family
The people closest to you
UmamaMother/oo-MA-ma/
UbabaFather/oo-BA-ba/
UmfowethuMy brother/oom-fo-WEH-too/
UdadewethuMy sister/oo-da-deh-WEH-too/
InganeChild/in-GA-neh/
UmndeniFamily/oom-NDEH-nee/
UmfaziWife/oom-FA-zee/
UmyeniHusband/oom-YEH-nee/
Days and times
Say when something happens
NamuhlaToday/na-MOO-hla/
KusasaTomorrow/koo-SA-sa/
IzoloYesterday/ee-ZOH-loh/
ManjeNow/MAN-jeh/
EkuseniMorning/eh-koo-SEH-nee/
NtambamaAfternoon/ntam-BA-ma/
EbusukuNight/eh-boo-SOO-koo/
UsukuDay/oo-SOO-koo/
Food and drink
Order and share a meal
AmanziWater/a-MAN-zee/
UkudlaFood/oo-KOO-dla/
IsinkwaBread/ee-SIN-kwa/
InyamaMeat/ee-NYA-ma/
UbisiMilk/oo-BEE-see/
ItiyeTea/ee-TEE-yeh/
NgilambileI am hungry/ngee-lam-BEE-leh/
KumnandiIt is tasty/koom-NAN-dee/
Getting around town
Directions and travel words
ImotoCar/ee-MOH-toh/
UmgwaqoRoad/oom-GWA-qo/
IndluHouse/IN-dloo/
IsitoloShop/ee-see-TOH-loh/
KwesokunxeleLeft/kweh-soh-koo-NXEH-leh/
KwesokudlaRight/kweh-soh-KOOD-la/
Qonda phambiliGo straight/QON-da pam-BEE-lee/
YimaStop/YEE-ma/
Colours and describing
Say what something looks like
ObomvuRed/oh-BOM-voo/
OmnyamaBlack/om-NYA-ma/
OmhlopheWhite/om-SHLOH-peh/
UmbalaColour/oom-BA-la/
OmkhuluBig/om-KOO-loo/
OmncaneSmall/om-n-TSA-neh/
KuhleIt is good/KOO-shleh/
KubiIt is bad/KOO-bee/
At home
Name the things around you
IndluHouse/een-DLOO/
UmnyangoDoor/oom-NYAN-goh/
UmbhedeBed/oom-BEH-deh/
IsihlaloChair/ee-see-SHLA-loh/
ItafulaTable/ee-ta-FOO-la/
IfasitelaWindow/ee-fa-see-TEH-la/
IsikhiyeKey/ee-see-KEE-yeh/
IkameloRoom/ee-ka-MEH-loh/
Body and health
Say what hurts and ask for help
IkhandaHead/ee-KAN-da/
IsandlaHand/ee-SAND-la/
IhloEye/EE-shloh/
IsisuStomach/ee-SEE-soo/
NgiyagulaI am sick/ngee-ya-GOO-la/
UdokotelaDoctor/oo-doh-koh-TEH-la/
IsibhedlelaHospital/ee-see-behd-LEH-la/
UmuthiMedicine/oo-MOO-tee/
Work and school
Talk about what you do
UmsebenziWork/oom-seh-BEN-zee/
IsikoleSchool/ee-see-KOH-leh/
UthishaTeacher/oo-TEE-sha/
UmfundiStudent/oom-FOON-dee/
IncwadiBook/een-CHWA-dee/
Ngifunda isiZuluI am learning Zulu/ngee-FOON-da ee-see-ZOO-loo/
UmbuzoQuestion/oom-BOO-zoh/
IgamaWord/ee-GA-ma/
Feelings
Say how you feel
NgijabuleI am happy/ngee-ja-BOO-leh/
NgikhatheleI am tired/ngee-ka-TEH-leh/
NgiyakuthandaI love you/ngee-ya-koo-TAN-da/
UmnganeFriend/oom-NGA-neh/
NgilambileI am hungry/ngee-lam-BEE-leh/
NgomileI am thirsty/ngoh-MEE-leh/
NgiyaxolisaSorry/ngee-ya-KOH-lee-sa/
Ngiyabonga kakhuluThank you very much/ngee-ya-BON-ga ka-KOO-loo/
Small talk
Keep a short conversation going
Uvelaphi?Where are you from?/oo-veh-LA-pee/
Ngivela eMelikaI am from America/ngee-VEH-la eh-meh-LEE-ka/
Uyakhuluma isiNgisi?Do you speak English?/oo-ya-koo-LOO-ma ee-see-NGEE-see/
KancaneA little/kan-TSA-neh/
Sizobonana kusasaSee you tomorrow/see-zoh-boh-NA-na koo-SA-sa/
Ulale kahleGood night/oo-LA-leh KA-shleh/
HalalaCongratulations/ha-LA-la/
AkunankingaNo problem/a-koo-nan-KEEN-ga/
Questions people ask about Zulu
How do you say "thank you" in Zulu?
"Thank you" in Zulu is Ngiyabonga, pronounced /ngee-ya-BON-ga/ (stressed syllables in capitals).
How do you say "how are you?" in Zulu?
"How are you?" in Zulu is Unjani?, pronounced /oon-JA-nee/ (stressed syllables in capitals).
Is Zulu hard to learn?
c, q and x spell three different clicks — cha (no) starts with a dental click, not a ch sound.
hl is a breathy side-of-the-tongue sound, so kuhlanu (five) is nothing like English hl.
Verbs carry the subject as a prefix: ngiyabonga is literally I-am-thanking.
Where is Zulu spoken?
South Africa, with speakers in Eswatini, Lesotho and Zimbabwe — around 12 million first-language speakers. Writing system: Latin alphabet, including the letters c, q and x for click sounds.
Can I learn Zulu for free?
Yes. This phrasebook is free to read, and SemaSoma gives you the first three units of the course plus 15 translations a day before anything is paid.